Special Delivery
by Emantsal
Summary: Post ME2.  Thane is dying and Shepard isn't coping well.  A look at their last days together and how family and friends come together to help or maybe interfere.  Please R&R.  All comments, good or bad, are always appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry, Re-post** Forgot the standard disclaimer… Bioware owns all Mass Effect Characters etc. etc. etc… I only use them for my own evil purposes…

**A/N** OK, so I was listening to Apocalyptica's new album, track 5, Beautiful, and this kinda invaded my mind and wouldn't leave. For such a short instrumental piece, it gave birth to this monster. This is chapter 1. There will be one more, hopefully soon. Have to decorate a tree and cook lots of food. My son's coming home on leave from the USAF. (Yea, I'm that old…) Anyway, I won't get any rest until I get this out of my head… literally…

The trips to see the doctor had become more and more frequent, and there were few nights she actually slept, either coughing fits echoing through the house or the ever present fear that she would wake and he would be gone, keeping her up.

Kolyat had finally arrived from the Citadel and was staying in the main house in one of the two guest room. She knew there was still some hurt and anger there, but at least he and Thane had been able reconnect and at least come to terms with what had happened between then.

He still skirted around her though, far enough away she couldn't punch him again. Not that she would. And besides, that had just been a love tap. If she'd really wanted to punch him, he wouldn't have gotten up afterwards. And really, that was almost three years ago…

Mordin had arrived just a few days ago and was staying in the guest house with Garrus. The turian had already been there for several months.

After dealing with the aftermath of the Collector Home World and the trip back through the Omega 4 relay, they'd spent a month getting repairs done on the ship. After that, she'd told The Illusive Man that the crew was due for several months leave, no questions asked. She herself would be taking an unspecified amount of time. Unless the reapers suddenly appeared, she was semi-retired. That had been over two years ago…

On a small farm outside Yuma, Arizona that she'd bought with help from Ambassador Anderson, she and Thane had settled down for some much needed rest. The low humidity of the area had done wonders for his Kepral's Syndrome and the days and weeks had grown into months, the months into a little over two years.

After the suicide mission, she had persuaded Mordin to look for a cure for Thane's Kepral's syndrome. It had proved illusive, though, but during his research, he had developed a breathing treatment that had so far added many months to Thane's life. Mordin was here now as the end approached, to offer what medical comfort he could to the drell, and emotional support to Shepard.

He'd been strong enough to sit up in the sun room that morning. She left him reading the morning news as she went to the kitchen for his usual cup of tea. The Kepral's had spread viciously in the past two months and Thane could no longer stomach solid food. She'd begun buying fresh produce and juicing everything. She'd fight for him as long as he… as long as he fought…

She knew it was getting harder and harder. Harder for him to ignore the pain, harder for him to resist the pull of the sea. He slipped so easily into solipsism these days, and God help her, she hated it. Hated that he was in pain. Hated that she couldn't do anything to stop it. Hated that he was leaving her… She leaned up against the wall in the stairwell and closed her eyes. _Just breathe… just breathe…._

Voices nearing the front door pulled her up short and she quickly wiped at her eyes and continued down to the lower floor and the kitchen.

"Morning Garrus. Morning Mordin," she greeted them brightly. Too brightly Mordin decided, again noticing the signs of sleep deprivation and trying to exist on too little food and overly enormous amounts of coffee and coke.

"How's Thane today?" Garrus's low voice soothed over her frayed nerves. Thank God for Garrus. Without him she'd have long ago lost what little sanity she had remaining. He took care of everything on the farm. He took care of her when she couldn't do it herself…

"He's sitting in the sun room this morning reading the news. I was just on my way to get him a cup of tea and maybe some juice."

"Sitting up. Good sign. New breathing treatment and meds helping. Should avoid hot tea, though. Cool or room temperature. Juice idea a good one. Provides excellent nutrition and absorbability is maximized."

Trust Mordin to always latch onto the scientific elements of any conversation. "But he likes his tea warm. With the little time he has left, I think he should be able to enjoy the few things he still likes."

"Could bring on an attack. Warm liquid could thicken mucus thereby causing delayed or spasmodic breathing episode. Of course, nominally reduces life expectancy by mere seconds. Suppose it's ok to have hot tea."

"You two go on up. Garrus see if Kolyat is up and ask him if he wants to sit with his dad this morning. After breakfast I have a few things to do down in the basement."

In the kitchen she juiced several fresh fruits and vegetables. She made the tea but added an ice cube to cool it. If cool tea would get her just a few more seconds with him…

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

Later on in the guest house…

"Worried about Shepard. Not sleeping, not eating. Stress associated with care of terminal patient with emotional attachment not conducive to mental wellbeing or physical health. Perhaps should prescribe psychotropic drugs for sleep aid and immuno-booting supplements to increase appetite."

"You go ahead Mordin. I'm sure she'll be more receptive than last time," Garrus said, the sarcasm not lost on the salarian. She'd threatened to rip his omin-tool off, shove it up his ass and air-lock him.

"Will need strength in the coming weeks. Thane does not have much time. Scans this morning indicate disease is advancing rapidly. Two months at best. Most likely only a few weeks. Emotional loss of mate will be devastating."

"I know… I know. Maybe we can talk to Thane. If anyone can get her to see reason, it's him. While he still can…"

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"Kolyat," Thane's voice rasped in warmth of the midday sun. They were sitting on the sun porch enjoying the heat of the sun. Thane had been dozing on and off most of the morning, but now he seemed more alert, more focused.

Kolyat had been just sitting there surfing the extranet. Professor Mordin and Garrus had already returned to the guest house, and Shepard had mentioned having something to do. Most of the times before, when he'd visited his dad, Shepard had conveniently had meetings off world, leaving them to find their way back together without her interference.

But now, of course, she couldn't leave. His father was too sick. It had unnerved him when he'd arrived two days ago. The last time he'd been here, only a little over two months before, his dad had still looked fine. He'd tired a little easier, but he'd still been the same tall, strong man he'd always remembered.

But not now. His father had not greeted him when he'd arrived. They'd talked via e-mails over the past few months, so nothing had prepared him for the way his father seemed to be wasting away.

Today his once broad shoulders were hunched and drawn. Today his once powerful body seemed to be drawing in on itself. Today the once rich red of the ribbing at his neck had paled considerably. His scales were graying, and dull, lifeless, mottled skin peeled and shed from his hands, chest, and face. Of course, with his dad bundled up in blankets, he couldn't see if the condition covered his entire body… but he was pretty sure it did. Gods, this was really it… his dad was dying…

"I'm here, dad," he replied, getting up and moving to sit beside Thane.

"I'm glad you were able to make the trip," Thane said, his voice weak, his eyes closed, like he didn't have the energy to open then.

"Shepard said it was important, that you wanted to see me. So, here I am."

"I know I don't have much time left. The sea calls to me, stronger each day. Kalihera has already given me more time than I ever thought possible. But it isn't enough. It could never be enough now that I have found you again."

Kolyat's eyes misted and he fought hard against the urge to cry. It really wasn't fair. Now that he had his father back, he would loose him again. They had already had more time than either originally thought. Thanks to Shepard…

"I do not fear what is to come, son. When my body returns to the sea, your mother will be there waiting for me. I have missed her…"

"Mom loved you very much. She always cried when you went away. Of course, now that I know what you were doing, I understand better why she sometimes got so sad."

"I am sorry I was not there for you, both of you. And though I have explained my actions, that does not make up for the years of mistakes I made where you and your mother were concerned. I hope that," he was suddenly wracked with coughs that seemed to shudder through his body with increasing force only to end in pained wheezing, eyes squeezed closed, mouth open to desperately get air, the scales of his face pale and glistening with sweat.

"Dad?" He jumped up and began rubbing his father's back.

"Should I call Shepard, or Garrus?" He'd never seen the coughing attacks before. Every breath was an effort.

"DAD!" Kolyat was scared. He was about to call Garrus when his dad managed to reach up and grab his arm.

"No… Kol… yat… don't…" Thane finally managed, regaining a small measure of control over his breathing. He needed to stay focused on what he wanted to ask his son. He needed to help him understand what was at stake.

"I want…"

"Don't talk dad. We can do this again later. Maybe you'll be stronger and we can talk then."

"NO!" he managed with a strength he didn't even know he had inside himself anymore. This was too important to put off any longer. "I need for you to listen… _(wheeze) _I need you to look after Shepard when I'm gone… _(wheeze)_ I need you to do this for me…"

"Shepard? Commander Shepard?" What the hell? She was as tough as Krogan skin. They didn't make them any harder than her. Sure, he knew she loved his dad, but seriously, it couldn't be anything like what his mom had felt for the man.

"Listen, please. There is so much you don't know… _(wheeze…)_ so much I haven't told you _(wheeze)_. And now it may be too late _(wheeze)_."

"Ok Dad, Ok. Calm down."

"Here," Thane finally said, handing Kolyat a datapad. "Everything you need to know is in here. Read it and… we'll talk later…" He finally relaxed, leaning back in his recliner and closing his eyes.

Kolyat returned to his chair and began to read…

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

It was after lunch when she finished going over the reports from The Illusive Man. She'd had toast and three cups of coffee for breakfast, but the thought of food made her ill. On her way through the kitchen she grabbed some plain crackers and a coke and headed upstairs.

On the sun porch outside their bedroom, Thane was wrapped in blankets, lying in the sun. Oh God she was going to miss him so much. Heart pounding, eyes threatening to overflow at any moment, she ducked into the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. It wouldn't do for him to see her like this. She had to be strong… she had to be strong… she had to be…

"Thane? Honey?" she called out as she approached his recliner. Every time she was away from him she dreaded this… this coming back. One day he would not answer her. And she knew that would be the day she would lose her mind…

"Siha," he managed in a weak voice.

"How was your visit with Kolyat," she asked, coming to sit beside him. Reaching out she took his hands through the layers of blankets and squeezed them. Leaning forward she brushed her lips across his forehead and rubbed her cheek against his.

When she leaned back, dark eyes that had begun to dim regarded her. "I am afraid I spent more time asleep than talking. He said he would come back later this afternoon."

"Just don't tire yourself out. Mordin's going to be by later to give you another breathing treatment."

"Siha, is that really necessary? We both know…" He stopped when she stiffened and got up to walk to the edge of the porch. He heard the railing crack under pressure as she gripped it tightly.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with my visit with my son," he said. He'd have agreed to anything at that moment to stop the hurt his words had inadvertently caused. Gods, she was so beautiful standing there in the sunlight. His beautiful Siha, warrior angle, his angle, almost ethereal, so pale, so soft, so…

Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. And he was so tired, so…

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

Kolyat jumped when his omni-tool alarm sounded. He'd set it so he wouldn't be late to visit with his father, again.

The datapad… he'd read it and re-read it.

His father had never told him exactly what happened, why he'd joined up with Shepard in the first place. He'd never tried to explain why he'd supposedly fallen in love with her, why he called her Siha, just like he had his mom.

But here, in the datapad, it was all there. The Collectors, the Omega-4 Relay, the Collector Home World… The Reapers. And his dad said there were preparing for another attack.

It was the stuff of nightmares. And yet he didn't hesitate to believe it was all truth. Hell, maybe Shepard was Arashu. Who else could have protected the galaxy not once, but twice? He could almost see why his dad…

He almost laughed at his newfound what? respect? for the woman. When he'd arrived, she'd looked almost as bad as his father. She'd lost weight and even managed to look frail. Shepard, who could go toe-to-toe with a Krogan, killed a Reaper for Gods' sake… looking frail? What a joke. Must have been the light…

And now his dad wanted him to help her when he finally returned to the sea. Said she'd need someone, family, when he was gone. _Family? What the hell?_ Sure, there was Garrus, but it would take more than one big turian to watch over her. The galaxy would need her. She had to stay strong…

He made his way toward his father's bedroom and arrived just as Mordin and Garrus were leaving.

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"Shepard, not looking well. Weight loss, fatigue, no appetite. All classic symptoms of grief and depression. Would like to suggest antidepressants and appetite stimulants. Non receptive last time I broached subject. Thought maybe you could suggest." Mordin finished putting away his equipment and prepared to leave. Across the room, Garrus stared out the window at the sun just beginning to sink down into the horizon.

"Thane, we wouldn't ask if we didn't care for you both. She's going to make herself sick." Garrus walked back to the bed and pulled up a chair to sit down. "Look, you've accepted this. Made peace. She hasn't. Probably never will. It's just the way she is."

"I will try to get her to take better care of herself. She devotes too much time to me and not enough to herself."

"She took her vows seriously, Thane. _'For richer, for poorer, in sickness or health, till death do us part.' _To her, those words were more binding than any contract on Illium. They came from her heart."

"And my heart breaks every time I think of her alone after I am gone. I will not be here to protect her, to watch over her when they come… She will need you, all of you…"

"You know I've always got her six," Garrus replied as he rose to leave. "You don't have to worry about that, my friend."

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

His Siha slips into bed beside him and wraps her arms around his shoulders, resting her cheek against the top of his head. He notices that she is thinner, the bones in her neck and shoulders more accentuated. Beneath skin that is too pale he can see blue veins weaving and turning. She shivers a little, and reaches for the blanket, pulling it up over shoulders that are tense and shaking.

He hated not being able to pull her into his arms, to keep her warm, to mold her body against his and take them both to a place where their release colors the very air around them with joy…

It is a long time before she relaxes and seems to drift off to sleep.

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"So dad, why didn't you get the transplant?" Kolyat asked. Once again they were sitting in the morning sun, himself wearing nothing but shorts and a oversized t-shirt, his dad wrapped in blankets reclining in his usual lounger. He seemed a little stronger this morning. The breathing treatment the previous evening had obviously helped.

Thane was silent for some time. He asked himself this very question over and over. Because he'd been stubborn? Because he was an idiot? Because he questioned the Gods' wisdom in sending him another Siha? He hadn't deserved Irikah, yet she'd chosen him and loved him. And, he'd loved her, knew that even now she was waiting for him in the arms of Kalahira.

Shepard… his Siha… Gods he didn't want to leave her. He'd been so stupid, so blind, so…

"I was an idiot, Kolyat. For so long all I wanted was to return to the sea. I'd lost your mother. I'd lost you. There was no reason to stay. Your mother… she was waiting for me when my body returned to the sea. But then something happened. The Gods sent me another Siha, one who helped me find you, encouraged me to rebuild what I had destroyed in my ignorance… another Siha who chose to love a broken man…"

"Did she ask you get one?"

"Yes, but I refused. It wasn't until too late that I finally understood what I was giving up. By the time I found my way back to you it was too late…"

"You keep talking about me, about being here for me. What about Shepard? Why didn't you do it for her?"

"How could I ever deserve her Kolyat? How could I ever accept such a gift from the Gods? She was fire and light and passion… and love. I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve another chance at a life. I thought surely the Gods were testing me somehow. Teasing me… that at any moment they would take her away.

"We faced death so many times during our mission. I knew that at any moment she could be taken away from me… Yet we made it through and later, when I began to believe, really believe that maybe there was hope…

"She again asked me to get the operation. I went in for test, but we found out the Kepral's had become too advanced, invading other nearby organs. Mordin was already looking for a cure, still works with the hanar doing research. He did develop a new breathing treatment that has worked wonders for me as well as other drell across the galaxy, but it is no cure."

"Do you still think mom's waiting for you? You love another woman now, dad."

"I still love your mother, just as I love Shepard."

"And she'd ok with this? With your leaving her knowing my mom is waiting for you to be together again in the afterlife?"

"No. But not for reasons you think. She is jealous of your mother. That is a natural emotion. I understand it and accept it."

"Then what?"

"She fears being alone Kolyat, of dying alone again…?"

"Again? I don't understand…"

"Your step-mother died once before. You've heard the stories, how the original Normandy was attacked by a Collector ship. She gave the abandon ship order but the pilot wouldn't leave his post. She went to get him and managed to get him into the life pod. An explosion ripped the ship apart before she could get in and she got spaced. Shrapnel from the explosion ruptured her suit and she burned up entering Alcheria's atmosphere."

"Oh Fuck… Ok, so if she died, how is she here now?"

"Cerberus spent two years bringing her back to life. Advanced cell regrowth, cybernetics, every new technology available went into regrowing her body from the few pieces of bone and tissue that were recovered from the planet surface."

"Why? Why do all that to bring back one woman?"

"Because, she was Commander Shepard, The Butcher of Torfan, the first human Spectre, The Savior of the Citadel. The Illusive man knew that if anyone could save the colonist, she was the one. In case you haven't noticed, your step mother is a force to be reckoned with. He also knew that the Reapers were still a threat, and that if the galaxy was to have any hope of defeating them, they would need her.

"I do not want to leave her, Kolyat. My heart aches and my soul grows numb when I consider my body's death."

"But you'll be with mom."

"I know, and that small joy is all I have now. But how long will she wait on the shores of the afterlife with me? I will not leave until Shepard crosses over. I will not leave her to cross alone when the Gods are through using her for their purpose."

"You think mom would welcome another woman, another Siha, another wife?"

"Your mother was an extraordinary woman Kolyat. Selfless, forgiving, a warrior angle of Arashu. I cannot be here to protect you from what is to come. The Reapers will return, the proverbial human apocalypse will happen, and only Shepard will stand between the galaxy and the end of all life. She will stand between the Reapers and you. And for that alone, you mother will love her, as I do."

"Dad?"

"Hum?"

"I'm glad you stopped me, you know, that day, back on the Citadel. And I'm glad we were able to get past everything and talk… I just wanted you to know…"

"You should thank your step mother. Without her, none of that would have happened. She made sure you didn't go to jail. She pushed me to write to you, even when you didn't answer… She's the reason we had time together…"

"I'll keep an eye on her dad, after…"

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"Siha…" he whispered into her neck at night. Wrapped tightly in hers arms, head pillowed on her shoulder, he prayed to Arashu. Prayed for protection for his love, for his son, for those he'd come to care for…

"Hum?" she replied, eyes still wide open in the dark. Sleep was the enemy now. She would have all time in the world to sleep after… after he…

"I love you."

"I know, Honey. I love you, too… And no, you can't get another dog. I think five are enough."

"Hum… hum hum… hum… hum… Bad Siha," he admonished her, his body jerking as he tried to laugh but didn't have enough air.

She thought he'd fallen back to sleep, but he again whispered, "Siha…"

"Hum?"

"I'll wait for you, on the shore. You won't be alone…"

"You're leaving me, Thane. I will be alone," her voice broke and her body shook. No tears came, though. She'd cried them out earlier, alone in the basement…

"I'm sorry, Siha… I love you."

"I love you, too…."

"Protect Kolyat for me…"

"I will. As long as I draw breath…"

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"Vakarian," Mordin pounced on him as soon as he returned from his morning check on the day to day logistics of running a farm. Who'd have ever thought? Farmer Garrus. If the guys back at C-Sec could see him now…

Before he could even respond, the salarian continued. "Problem. Big problem. Performed un-authorized medical scan of Commander."

"You must have a death wish Mordin. Remember what happened last time you did that?"

"Irrelevant in the broader scheme of things. Needed to verify if diagnosis of depression was cause of change in physical appearance."

"Yeah. And?"

"Commander… pregnant."

"I'm sorry. I must have a translator glitch. It sounded like you said the Commander was pregnant."

"Yes. Almost three months. Fetus viable, but in danger if Shepard doesn't begin to take better care of herself."

"Wait. Hold on. What the hell are you saying? Pregnant? Fetus? She's human. Thane's a drell. I though the species couldn't mix. Or are you saying she… she was maybe seeing someone else…?"

"No. No one else. Thane's child. Fetus DNA mix of human and drell."

"That's impossible."

"Shepard reconstructed using advanced cellular regrowth protocol. Cerberus scientist most likely used refined alien protein building blocks in order to accelerate and sustain cellular growth. Conception not impossible."

"Well, duh, Professor… Are you sure she doesn't know?"

"Would expect Commander to provide better nutrition to growing offspring if suspected condition. Cannot expect fetus to develop on caffeine and crackers alone."

"OK… so we need to talk to Shepard. She needs to know."

"Mental state too unstable to simply deliver news without backup support. Suggest we talk to Kolyat and then Thane."

"Why Kolyat first?"

"Stepson will be half-brother if fetus makes it to full term."

"I guess that makes sense somewhere… But, do you think Thane can handle this kind of news?"

"Thane, mentally strong. Only body soon to stop functioning. Having son there when told will mitigate the shock… theoretically."

"I'll call the kid, you go make some drinks. We're going to need them…"

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"She's been cheating on my dad?" Kolyat jumped up from the table in the guest house kitchen, face contorted in anger, hands clenched in fist at his side. Garrus and Mordin each grabbed at their beers as the table shook.

"What? NO!" Garrus shouted. "And sit the hell back down. How could you even think that?" Of course hadn't that been his own first thought?

"Thane's child. Fetus possesses both human and drell DNA." Mordin continued to explain as if nothing had happened. "Suspect Commander does not know. Emotional and mental state too unstable. Suspect too focused on Thane to notice changes."

Kolyat looked at them both as if they'd just lost their minds. Shepard pregnant? What the hell was the universe thinking? What the hell had she and his father been thinking?

"But how? They're not even the same species. And how could she not know?"

Garrus raised his hand to stop Mordin from starting a long and painfully in-depth explanation of cellular mechanics as it related to Cerberus's methods to bring the Commander back from the dead.

"Medically, it's feasible. But if it's any consolation, I don't think they ever thought it was possible." The kid was about to pass out from the looks of it. "Take a drink. It helps. Trust me…"

"Have you told my dad?"

"No… we were hoping you would come with us when we told Thane. We think that he should be told first, then Shepard. Maybe let him tell her…"

"Is he strong enough for this kind of news?" Hell was he, Kolyat, strong enough for it? One day his father is dying and he's saying goodbye before it's too late. The next, he learns he might have a little brother or sister, some weird alien mix brother or sister… Gods he needed another drink…

"Thane's body is weak, but his spirit is strong. It will be a shock, but Mordin thinks he can handle it." Garrus went to get three more beers from the fridge, one dextro, two levo, and returned to the table. "I know that if I were in his shoes, I'd actually be comforted to know that my mate would have something to focus on besides the grief of my passing."

"Would suggest visiting Thane this afternoon. Time is not our friend. Commander needs to be made aware of condition as soon as possible."

"Come up the back stairs around two. I'll be visiting with Dad then. Shepard always tries to give us time alone."

"Till two," Garrus said, draining his beer and wondering how in the hell Shepard was going to cope with this. She was already so close to the edge…

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~

"Hi Dad, how are you feeling?" Kolyat said, pulling a chair up close to the lounger Thane was reclining in on the sun porch. The day was another hot one. In nothing but a pair of shorts, the sun felt good on his scales. A hot breeze ruffled the blankets his father was lying under.

"Full. Your step mother managed to get me to drink almost an entire glass of her special berry juice. Of course, if I had refused, she may well have stuck a tube down my throat and let gravity do the rest." His Siha was relentless when she was in her 'protect and mother' mode.

"Um…" he began, only to stop. Exactly how was he supposed to tell his dying father that wife number two was expecting a baby he wouldn't live to see. He fidgeted with the hem in his shorts, smoothing and stretching the fabric over his leg.

"Is there something bothering you son?" His son looked like he was about to explode.

"No. Not really. Just wondering how Shepard is handling this. I haven't seen much of her since I got here. She usually leaves us alone when I come up to visit."

"Siha is a strong woman, although I can see now what the stress is doing to her. The Professor pointed out to me that she isn't eating or sleeping, that she's lost weight. I had been too wrapped up in my own self to notice the changes. I asked her to bring two glasses today. One for me, one for herself. Our new version of a lunch date…"

"That's great dad. I had noticed that she looked a little thinner." He heard steps coming up the back stairs of the sun porch. Finally…

"Thane, Kolyat… Just thought we'd drop by and… chat a bit," Garrus said walking over to drag a chair over to the lounger. Mordin followed suit, but paused to run his omni-tool over Thane, checking his vitals.

"Last breathing treatment still helping. Vitals basically unchanged in last twenty-four hours. Will repeat treatment tomorrow." Sitting down he glanced from Garrus to Kolyat.

"I get the feeling this isn't an impromptu visit. Is something wrong? Is…"

"Heart rate accelerating. Suggest getting to reason for visit to relieve any undue stress."

"Nothing's wrong Thane. In fact, we hope you'll see this as a blessing…"

Thane looked from one face to the other. Mordin was almost vibrating with the need to talk. Garrus looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here, and Kolyat? His son was literally terrified for some reason. A blessing? What had the Gods done now?

"Dad… Um… Well… you see it's like this. The Professor here kinda did a medical scan of Shepard, you know, to see how she was doing without her knowing about it…"

"As I recall, you did that once before and almost got air-locked for it. Did you learn nothing from that experience Professor?" Thane inquired, but his anxiety was growing by the second. Was something wrong with his Siha? Had she neglected herself to the point of becoming ill?

"Heart rate still accelerating. Prehaps now is a good time for a mild sedative?" Mordin interjected.

"Is something wrong with Siha?" Thane finally asked, still looking from one face to another. Something was wrong. For the three of them to be here it was seriously wrong.

"Dad… Shepard is… expecting."

"Expecting what?" he asked. A message, a package, a… EXPECTING?

He felt a prick at his neck and looked up to see Mordin returning to his seat. Already his heart rate was settling back down, the anxiety in his system decreasing… Wait… WHAT?

"Expecting? As in… E-X-P-E-C-T-I-N-G?"

"Yeah Dad, Shepard's pregnant."

"Hit me again Mordin…"

~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N A big thank you to my wonderful reviewers and everyone who's added my story to their favs and alert list… **Sorry this has turned into a monster. I began it when I was PMSing something crazy. It's just ballooned from there. Oh well, it's in my head and I won't rest until I finish it. Of course it's morphed into something I didn't expect. Has that ever happened to you? You start writing one thing only to wind up with something totally different than what you initially started with?

Anyway, if you will please, leave a review.

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all except the creepy stuff inside my head…

And yes, I'm still working on Mystery to Me…

…

His Siha was pregnant… Drell DNA was incompatible with human DNA…

Despite the mild sedative Mordin had given him, his heart wanted to pound in his chest and his lungs wanted to lock. A raging fire of despair swept through him to be replaced by a white hot flame of jealousy that threatened to reduce him to ash on the spot. How could she… An intense desire to kill someone settled on his soul…

"Dad?" Kolyat asked cautiously. His father was suddenly so still, jaw clenched tight, body rigid…

"Our DNA is incompatible, so who…"

"Just stop right there Krios. After all you two have been through, everything she's done for you, you want to accuse her of cheating on you? Asshole…" Garrus wanted nothing more than to plant his fist in the drell's face. But that would hurt Shepard more than the drell. Never mind that that had been his first thoughts, too. But then, he wasn't married to the Commander… And a part of him could understand Thane's pain and jealousy… A big part of him could really understand…

Completely missing the death stare on the drell's face, and the 'I can't believe he went there' look on the turian's, Mordin said, "Fetus carries both human and drell DNA. Suspect Cerberus used alien DNA in rebuilding process. Estimate Commander to be approximately ten or eleven weeks along. Fetus developing, but needs alternate source of nutrition. Shepard currently ingesting too few calories of significant value to continue desired growth rate. Suggested that you be the one to inform her. No desire to have omni-tool used as anal probe…" Beside him, Garrus guffawed, and even Thane couldn't help a small grin twitching one corner of his mouth, Shepard's remembered threat playing in their memories…

"Most imperative for Commander to get thorough exam. Uncertain of continued viability of unborn child given current stress levels. Unknown factors associated with potential DNA interaction also of concern."

Ten to eleven weeks… He knew almost exactly when he'd fathered this child. ..

Kolyat was coming to visit. Siha would be going to the Citadel for a meeting with the Aliance for a few days. She always tried to give them time alone, time to heal the mistakes of the past, time alone when her presence didn't distract him from his son.

They'd decided to spend a weekend camping and checking on the herd of wild horses that roamed their land before she left for the meeting. Garrus had moved in by then and was in charge while they were away.

They'd ridden their horses out after lunch and set up camp in a small valley that helped block the cool early spring winds. The nights had still been cold and they'd quickly retired to the tent after the sky turned dark and the fire died down.

She always hated leaving, hated being separated from him… They'd spent hours loving each other, touching, tasting, caressing… He could remember each breath, each moan, each scream as she climaxed again and again, his own releases almost terrifying in their intensity.

Outside the chilly wind had blown and the full moon had sailed across the heavens. Inside their personal paradise, the world had stopped turning and time ceased to matter. There had been only himself and his Siha. Nothing else had mattered…

Mordin's breathing treatments and the cocktail of medicines he was taking had already given him more time with her than he'd ever thought possible. But even back then they knew he was living on borrowed time. His last trip to the doctor, just a few days prior to their camping trip, had confirmed what he already suspected. For more than a year, a kind of remission had been achieved, but now the disease was beginning to advance again. He tired more readily and slept more.

Dr. Chakwas and Professor Solus, who oversaw his treatment and consulted with the doctors at the hospital, had recommended a change in one of his meds. He'd seen an immediate improvement in his lung function. For a few weeks he'd almost been his old self…

That same day, Shepard had gone in for her annual physical. She usually had one done around her birthday, the 11th of April. Other than a sinus infection brought on by an early spring allergies, for which the doctor had prescribed an antibiotic, everything had been normal. Shepard had jokingly read him the warning label on the antibiotics that said, _Warning – may cause decreased effectiveness of oral contraceptives. Use alternate method of birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancy._ What a laugh they'd had on that one… They weren't using any method of birth control. They were different species…

That had been on a Monday, the 15th of April. They'd gone camping that Friday, the 19th. They'd made love in the dark of their tent, in the grass under the clear blue desert sky, on a blanket spread over rocks they'd been perched on watching the herd… They'd loved each other with an intensity that had bordered on obsession… And on Monday morning she'd left for the Citadel and Kolyat had arrived.

She'd been gone a week and when she returned they'd had another few weeks before the coughing started and didn't stop…

"You are one hundred percent positive your assessment of her condition is accurate?" Thane finally asked, closing his eyes and feeling the sun's warmth on his face. He remembered Irikah big with his child, with Kolyat. He wouldn't live to see Shepard heavy with this child.

_Gods, another child he wouldn't be there for. Another wife he'd failed. Another life he'd failed… _

"Enough to risk an anal-probe with an omni-tool." For the Commander? Anything.

~~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~~~

Shepard read and reread the latest reports from Liara. Somewhere, buried in all the data, was the key, she just couldn't focus long enough to find it. Of course it didn't help that she couldn't concentrate, that just getting through the day was now a major undertaking.

Each morning she awoke with a start. Was he still breathing? Had she fallen asleep and missed their last moments together?

And then the day would begin. They used to sit together and talk of the future. It hadn't been certain, and maybe they had lived in a fool's paradise, but they had dreamed together.

Now there was no future. She couldn't see beyond the end of the day. And what was there to talk about now? The "after I'm gone" talks? She wanted to scream and had to consciously remover her hands from her hair. She was going to be bald if she didn't stop pulling it out.

She looked back down at the reports. It really wasn't that she couldn't concentrate. The real problem was that she just didn't care anymore. Thane was dying, and when he was gone, what would be the point of continuing to exist? He was her world, her heart. He was the reason she lived and breathed.

Glancing at the time, she realized she'd already given the galaxy ten too many minutes. Time she should have spent with him. Shutting down her terminal, she exited the basement and keyed in the security code to arm the alarm system. Upstairs she grabbed two glasses and poured some of the fresh juice she'd prepared that morning.

Maybe she was having sympathy pains with Thane. The juice was the only thing she'd even remotely felt like putting in her stomach. The thought of food made her queasy… but she needed to eat something. She had to stay strong for him. He couldn't see what a mess she'd become on the inside. She grabbed a handful of saltines and made her way upstairs to their bedroom.

She'd expected him to be napping, but today he was propped up in the lounger in the sun, using a datapad. Walking over, she sat the drinks down on a low table and leaned over to press her lips to his in a brief kiss. Her smile was bittersweet as she pulled away.

"What'cha doing?" she asked, pulling up a chair to sit beside him.

"Just reading Siha," he replied, placing the datapad beside him and turning towards her. Taking her hands in his he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you?" she answered, squeezing his hands before reaching for their drinks and handing him his.

"Mordin assures me that my condition is relatively stable at the present time." He took a small sip and let the cool liquid slide down his dry throat. Sweet and cold it calmed the nerves clawing at his insides

"He stopped by?"

"The Professor and Garrus stopped by earlier, when Kolyat was here."

"What did he want?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink. It was sweet and cold and sat in her stomach like a rock.

Thane took another drink and then leaned over and placed the glass beside the lounger, on the deck. Straightening back up he also took her drink and placed it beside his. Taking her hands in his he brought them to his lips and kissed them lightly before replying, "Siha, when was your last period?"

"What the hell does that have to do with Mordin's visit?" What the hell was going on?

"Please think, Siha. It's important to me…"

"I don't know. Things have been so crazy… Why?"

When had been her last period? Her mind flew back over the past few weeks. Surely she'd had them on time… except she hadn't. Now that she thought about it she didn't remember having one last month, June. And Thane had become really ill in May. Had she had one in May? She was always so regular… Surely she'd just been so stressed she didn't remember.

"What's going on Thane? Why this sudden interest in my use of tampons and pads?"

"Siha…" he began only to stop. What was he going to say? By the way, you're pregnant and the Professor doesn't know if the baby will make it? Doesn't know if our DNA will cause problems? Thinks the stress of my death may cause you to miscarry?

"Thane, what's going on?"

"Mordin scanned you this morning, in the kitchen. He was concerned. You're stressed and haven't been eating or sleeping." 

"That son of a bitch. I warned him last time what would happen if he tried to do that again," she growled, already trying to get up and go extract justice with an omni-tool. Only she couldn't. Thane wasn't letting go of her hands. If anything, he held on tighter.

"Siha, please." He reached under the blanket with one hand and pulled out a home pregnancy test, pressing it into her palms. Her eyes were suddenly too huge in a too white face as she glanced from the box back to his face. "He said we'd know right away if it's positive."

"Thane, why are you doing this to me? This isn't funny," she finally managed to whisper, snatching her hands away and scooting her chair back. The box fell on the floor between them. All the air had left her lungs when she'd seen the box. How many times had she passed them in the store only to walk on by?

That was a place she'd never let herself go. They were from different species, after all. And when all was said and done, Thane had chosen Irikah and the call of the sea over her. _Her heart hammered in her chest, and a feeling like she was going to explode enveloped her. God, why hadn't she been enough for him? Why hadn't her love been enough?_

"You are right. It is not funny. None of this is funny," he replied, his voice growing in volume with each word. The unfairness of the whole situation was too much. Angry at the world, angry at the Gods, angry at himself for refusing to believe he deserved a second chance, he was shouting as he continued, "If by some miracle we have created a child together, I will not be here to see him born. I will not be here to help you raise him or be there for him as he grows up. I will not be here for you…" He stopped and took a deep shuttering breath, ending in a cough that shook his body and refused to let him go.

She watched as spittle and blood flew from his lips to land on the cream colored blanket. Automatically grabbing the emergency breather they always kept close by, she placed it over his nose and mouth and held him tightly as the coughing convulsed his body and finally began to subside.

"You can't have him today," she whispered to the sky. Irikah and the sea could just wait. She'd be damned if they were going to end like this…

Later, removing the breather after his breathing had returned to normal, she used the corner of the blanket to wipe his mouth and lay him back against the pillows. She was just going to call the Professor when Thane weakly grabbed her hand with his. "Please…. Siha… take the… test…" he managed to whisper, eyes pleading with her.

"After I call Mordin," she replied, already pulling up her omni-tool to summon the doctor. She looked at the box on the floor as if it were a vorcha.

When the Professor arrived, she stayed, holding his hand as Mordin conducted his exam and prepared to administer another breathing treatment.

~~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~~~

It was positive. It was positive. It was positive. It was…. _Just breathe…_

Thane was still hooked up to the breathing treatment apparatus when she returned, test strip in hand. Placing it in his hands, she walked over to the railing around the sun porch and looked out over the ranch drenched in the afternoon sun.

Elation, fear… joy, anger… euphoria, despair… They were all there, inside. She was pregnant, with Thane's baby. Oh my God… a baby… She was going to be a mother… _(elation)_ A single mother _(fear)_. She was having Thane's child _(joy)_… Thane would not be there _(anger)_. A child of Thane's to love _(euphoria)_… The love of her life was leaving, returning to the sea and his first love, Irikah _(despair)_.

"Shepard, will return in morning. Need to conduct test," Mordin interrupted her thoughts as he prepared to leave. The breathing treatment was done and Thane was resting comfortably. When she didn't respond, but kept looking into the distance, he gathered his things and left.

"Siha," Thane rasped behind her.

She knew he was hurting, physically and emotionally. The attacks always left his lungs feeling like they were on fire. And to know he'd fathered a child, one he'd never see… Her heart ached for him, even as she was so angry at him she wanted break something. If he'd only pursued the transplant earlier, if only he'd loved her more than that damn sea and Irikah_…_

Pushing away from the railing, she walked over to the lounger and stretched out beside him, her head pillowed on his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his waist as she pulled him close. His heart beat in her ear and she could hear the rattle in his lungs. He struggled to breathe, and she knew nothing was going to change what was to come. One day soon he wouldn't be here. One day soon there would be no heart beat to hear. One day soon…

She realized that nothing else mattered right now, in this moment in time, except them. The three of them… Not her anger, not her hurt, not the past, not the future…

"I love you, even if you did knock me up before leaving me for another woman," she managed in a whispered hiccup, even as tears bled from her eyes and wet the blanket covering him.

"Siha, are you… do you want…" he began asking only to have her press a finger to his lips. Looking up, she gave him a tremulous, teary smile before whispering, "Shhh… everything's going to be all right. Just rest. We'll talk later, about you, me, the baby... We made a child, Thane. We made a child… There's still hope in the world..."

Hope and miracles… He got his arms out from under the blanket and wrapped them around his Siha. He'd be damned if he wasn't going to hold his love in his arms, especially now, especially now. His lungs burned and his head felt like it was too big for his body. The specter of death waited and crept closer with each day. One life ending… One life beginning…

He'd never hold this child, but the miracle was there with them, even now, nestled between them, growing under her heart… Yes, there was still hope in the world…

~~~~~~ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5ME2.5~~~~~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Standard Bioware disclaimer applies.

**A/N** The ending chapter. Thanks to everyone who had read and reviewed or faved this story. Not sure why there weren't more reviews. Was wondering if sometimes people don't read sad stories because of the emotions they leave us feeling. I know I personally sometimes shy away from stories that are depressing.

Oh well, this was in my head and needed to be written. Thanks again for putting up with my angst/PMS throughout this little slice of ME2.5…

our bed we live, our bed we sleep

making love and I become you

flesh is warm with naked feet

stabbing thorns and you become me

oh, I'd beg for you. Oh, you know I'll beg for you.

pick a song and sing a yellow nectarine

take a bath, I'll drink the water that you leave

if you should die before me

ask if you can bring a friend

pick a flower, hold your breath

and drift away...

_Stone Temple Pilots, Still Remains _

"She is beautiful, Siha," Thane whispered, even as his throat constricted and he fought the urge to cry. Mordin had done a sonogram scan that morning and made a holovid of it. Thane watched as his unborn daughter slept peacefully under her mother's heart. Tiny toes, tiny fingers, five of them on each hand, perfect in every way… Emotions too big to be contained in his heart threatened to spill over as the image rotated before his eyes. His daughter would be beautiful, just like her mother…

Curled up next to him she slumbered, exhaustion from the past two days of test and more test claiming her. Though he too was exhausted, he knew that one day soon sleep would claim him from this mortal plane forever, and right now he didn't want to lose a moment of the time he had left with her, with them. With a flick of his finger he replayed the holovid over and over again. Spooned, her back to his chest, he wrapped an arm around her and splayed his hand low over her soft belly.

There, beneath his hand, his child grew. A chill swept through his body when he thought of what lay ahead. The Reapers were coming and he wouldn't be here to protect them. It seemed of late his life had become one long prayer to Arashu. _Great Arashu, Goddess of Motherhood and Protection, guard your angel, my Siha. Watch over her and our unborn child even as she watches over your faithful. And when the Reapers come, shelter and defend them. Keep them safe Mighty Arashu. Shield my Siha as she defends those who are helpless, as she becomes your warrior-angel, fierce in her wrath against the Reapers, a tenacious protector of all life._

His fate would be decided soon. He had asked Kalahira to accept his body and guide him across the sea to where Irikah waited on a distant shore. He longed to see her, to once again hold her in his arms… But there he would wait until the day Shepard, his Siha, joined him… even if it took forever…

"Can you hear it?" she whispered in the stillness of the early morning. Sunlight peaked through the thin shears that fluttered in the warm breeze. Everything was bathed in a golden glow and a kind of peace had descended on their private oasis.

Sitting propped up against white pillows, Thane's head in her lap, ear pressed against her stomach, she gazed down and smiled. Still bittersweet, still emotionally drained from the past few days, she none the less found joy in his expression. Beautiful dark eyes so full of love gazed up at her, a look of awe and amazement shining through all the heartache.

"The fluttering of tiny wings, Siha. It sounds like the fluttering of tiny wings…" He held his breath, listening, trying to count the beats, failing and smiling to the world… His child's heart, beating strong. He turned his head and pressed a kiss on the smooth skin of her bare belly. He smoothed a hand over her still flat tummy and closed his eyes, a purring sound she hadn't heard in many months coming from his. A small smile caressed his lips and he was soon asleep again. She would stay here forever if only…

"What do you want to name her?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him, memorizing his face, every scale, every shade of green and black, every nuance… every element... "I saw the datapad with baby names on it." They sat in the hot morning sun on the porch. Rather, she sat, dressed in shorts and a thin t-shirt, feet propped up on his lounger. Thane was reclined in said lounger, wrapped in his blankets. The stress and exhaustion were exacting their toll on his body and he shivered in the hot desert sun.

She had finished her juiced fruit and vegetables. It was still about all that would stay down. Mordin had given her something for nausea, but it wasn't helping much. And as long as Thane was still able to drink the shakes, she'd continue to make them. Today though, he only managed to consume a few sips. His body was failing…

"I would know my daughter's name, Siha. She is an unbelievable miracle…"

"Is there a drell word for miracle?"

"Dashal… it means a gift from the Gods… just as you were…"

"Dashal Krios… I like it… it fits, feels right…"

"And you Siha? Is there a name you would like for our miracle?"

"Zorina, I think. It was my great grandmother's name. It means golden dawn in the earth language, Greek."

"Dashal Zorina Krios… I love you…"

He records the holovid surrounded by his Siha and his son. He tells her of his love for her mother, for her brother, but most of all for her, his miracle, his Dashal…

She lies in bed with her husband, in the warmth of the early night breeze coming through the open windows and doors. Outside the sky is turning from the darkest blue to black, and the stars wake up, one by one, to greet the night.

A hand rest on her belly that has just begun to round. Both of hers hold his, afraid to let go as she listens to his labored breathing. Mordin's treatments aren't working anymore, and they've long since moved from pain management to pain prevention. It's a double edged sword, though. The medicines block the pain, but they also slow his respiration.  
She counts each intake of air and looks again at the clock. If she doesn't have something to do, she'll go mad…

Beneath their hands a tiny flutter moves, no more than the beating of a butterfly's wings… but he feels it. Four fingers and a rough palm press gently down and a smile lights up his face with the radiance of the sun. Turning his head he murmurs into her neck, "Siha… I want so much to stay here with you. The voice of the sea no longer sounds as sweet or calls as clear. It is hollow, even though I know Irikah waits for me on the shore."

"She loved you, Thane. That love hasn't died. It's still there. You'll feel it in your heart when you stand beside her once more."

"My heart remembers and loves her. But my soul… my soul will always belong to you. It is a piece of my soul you carry beneath your heart. From now until eternity has passed away, I will always love you. I will be there waiting for you, no matter where, no matter when. I will wait for you…"

She can't answer. Her throat will not work; no words can make it past the knot that threatens to choke her. She finally gives in to the despair and sobs uncontrollably, rolling toward him, burying her face in the pillow above his head.

Beneath their still entwined hands, a tiny wonder quivers, the infinitesimal stirrings of a new life…

"My love, my life, my heart," she whispered against the scales of his head…

They had a little over a month together before Thane lapsed into a coma. Mordin and Garrus basically moved into the house at that point, Mordin setting up an intensive care unit in the bedroom, watching over Thane, and Garrus taking care of the Commander and everything else.

In the end it was over quickly. She'd fallen asleep again, sitting beside the hospital bed that had been set up in their bedroom, arms stretched out over his legs, head resting on a pillow Garrus had tucked under her neck.

The silence was what woke her. Where there had been the incessant, but comforting hum and beep of the oxygen machine and heart monitor, the silence was jarringly loud. Pushing unsteadily to her feet, she ignored Mordin's sharply indrawn breath as she climbed onto the bed and gathered her heart in her arms.

She held him until all warmth had left his body. She held him until her heart was cold as stone. She held him until she felt him slipping away, like sand running through her fingers… She held him until she was too numb to resist Garrus picking her up and carrying her out of the room.

Beneath her heart, their unborn daughter provided little comfort. Her heart was broken, numb to everything and everyone. If not for the tiny life growing inside her, she would have gladly followed him across the sea. But she would not be allowed, yet. Thane had wanted this child, had loved his daughter unconditionally, just as he had loved her…

And the Reapers were still coming. She had promised to protect their child, to protect Kolyat, to complete the path it seemed the Gods had destined her for. And she would see it done. She would not falter. She would not fail. She was his Siha… And he was her world…

He'd wanted a desert ceremony to remember his home world before returning to the seas of Kahje. Three days later she was standing in a far pasture under a lone scrub tree surrounded by family and friends. A hot August sun blazed in the sky and insects buzzed lazily in the still air. There was no priest, no minister, no evangelist. Friends gathered and remembered the man, several speaking about their time together on the Normandy 2 and the mission to destroy the Collectors.

Kolyat spoke of his father. "My father was…"

_Baaaaaahhhhhh_

He began again. "Thane Krios was…"

_Baaaaaahhhhh_

"Can someone shoot that thing?" Grunt called out from the back of the crowd.

"Leave M-97 alone. He was Thane's favorite goat," she replied. It seemed that even the animals were morning his loss. He'd named them all after his favorite weapons. It had surprised her really, how much he loved animals. She'd finally had to put her foot down after he brought home the fifth dog…

_Baaaaaaaahhhhhhh_

_Mooooooooooo….. Moooooooooo…. Baaaaaaahhhhhhh_

"_Quack" _Oh, little M-12 Locust….. you miss him, too….

It was early morning on Kahje when they wrapped his body in vines and weighted it with stones. The sun shone brightly, a golden glow enfolding the small group on the beach. Kolyat gripped her hand in his as they lowered his father's body into the sea. She wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close, a grown man, yet a child in that moment. A very private ceremony, only family and a few close friends were in attendance. Garrus, Mordin, Chakwas…

The sea rolled and pulsed with life, the water lapping against her bare feet and legs. Clouds on the horizon promised rain, yet she stayed long after the ceremony ended. Was he with Irikah now? Did he know how much she missed him? From a pocket she pulled out the letter he'd written so long ago, before the Collector base, when they'd been unsure if their mission would succeed… Rain fell and mixed with her tears…

_Siha, _

_I write this with a heavy hand, knowing you will read this letter when I am no longer able to share my thoughts. I am dying, Siha. Perhaps because of the differences between our species, I can hope that time will treat you with kindness and dim the hurt of my passing to faded recollections that a drell would forever remember with perfect clarity. _

_Selfishly, however, I could not leave this world without leaving a piece of me behind that would never fade. _

She stopped reading a moment. A piece of him… but not this letter, not his words to her. He'd left a child, a perfect miracle from the Gods… Dashal Zorinna Krios… their souls joined together for all eternity…

_I once accepted my fate. Nothing remained but a shell destined to die. I only had to choose the when and how of my passing. I had refused to be confined to a bed, gasping horribly as my life beeped away to machinery I had no use for. I thought of my Irikah, broken, bloodied, and betrayed by my absence. Of Kolyat, small and afraid, bravely pushing at his eyes to stem the flow of tears I had entrusted to him to cry... for both our sakes. _

_The expectation to move swiftly to my end vanished upon uniting with your cause. You awoke me, Shepard. My heart quickened its sluggish beat if only to remain at your side and protect you with everything that I am. I was content to simply watch, take the time left given and praise all I know for allowing me to walk my final days with hope and certainty that I am worthy of more than my cold isolation, solely because you believed. _

_I love you. If all else whispers back into the tide, know this for fact. By grace given me by the Goddess Arashu, I bid her divine protection to you, my warrior-angel, my Siha, to succeed in your destiny. To light your path through the coming darkness. To give you hope, when all seems lost. _

_I will await you across the sea. _

_Thane _

Dashal Zorinna Krios was born on December, 31, 2187. And although it hurt so much to hold her daughter without Thane being there with them, her heart gradually began to mend. It would never be whole. A big chunk had been ripped away the day Thane died. But Zori, as she called her daughter, helped to chase away some of the loneliness that had threatened to consume her.

Shepard had only a few months with her daughter before Liara's intel picked up chatter that the Reapers were on the move. As the Shadow Broker, she trusted Liara's information over anything the Alliance or the Illusive Man said. She had no choice but to return to Commander mode. Her child's life, as well as Kolyat's and everyone she cared about depended on her now. There was no turning back. There was no wavering. There was no room for failure. She'd made a promise to _him_… He was waiting, and one day they'd be together again for all eternity… She just had to keep telling herself that.

Zori was ten months old when she left. She didn't look back when she left Zori off in the care of her big brother, Kolyat. For their protection, she'd moved them off the Citadel and in with Liara on the Shadow Broker's base. If anyone could protect them, Liara could.

Kolyat hadn't wanted to leave the Citadel. He'd made a life there, had joined C-Sec and was pursuing a career. If anything, he'd wanted to join her team and fight against the Reapers.

She'd finally lost it. Had to bluntly and loudly explain that the only thing that kept her going was her family, himself and Zori. Without them, the galaxy could go fuck itself. It had already cost her too much.

She knew she was supposed to care about all life in the galaxy, supposed to care that the Reapers wanted to extinguish every spark of life… If not for her family, she'd have already been banging on Kalahira's door.

He'd been silent after her outburst, finally taking her hands in his and looking her straight in the eyes. He told her of his promise to his father to look out for her, to be there for her and Zori. He'd do his best, but she had to promise to come back to them. He'd grown up without a mother or a father. Thane Krios was gone, but Zori had a mother, and if Arashu's willed it, she would return to them. Zori, needed her, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he needed her, too.

She'd hugged them both close to her, pressing the OSD into Kolyat's hand, the one that held the holovid Thane had recorded for Zori before he died, then turned and walked away… she didn't see them again for another 8 years…

They were all on Kahje, the whole family. Kolyat, his wife and their three children – Zori and her husband, married only a little over a year, and a few very, very close friends…

Brother and sister held hands as her body was lowered into the waves. They didn't shed any tears, not on this happy occasion. The tears had been shed over the course of the past few years as her body had slowly given out. The wars had taken their toll over the years, and in the end, she'd simply been too tired to fight the pull of the sea any longer.

No this was a happy occasion. She was finally at peace, and they both knew Thane waited for her across the sea… She would be in his arms once again… she was going home…

**A/N** So… there it is. I hope you've enjoyed the show. Please be sure to properly dispose of all trash in the receptacles as you exit the theater…


End file.
